meditation

Writing all the words — On any given day I worked on at least two, sometimes four, different projects

Meditating — I’ve talked about it before, but meditation is a big part of my daily routine.

Spending time in nature — The hiking trails around Asheville are amazing.

BUT….I did take a break on a couple of days to refill my creative well but visiting the Asheville Arts District. So much fun (and dog friendly too, so I exposed Smudge to some culture…not that I think she appreciated it, lol).
My favorite shop there was the GREAT COSMIC HAPPY ASS CARD COMPANY.
I mean who wouldn’t love a store with a name like that and products like these?!?!

It took me a long time to develop my meditation habit.
I knew the benefits of it such as stress reduction, increased attention, and improved sleep, but I just couldn’t make myself do it. I was too scattered. Too fidgety. Too impatient for it to be over.
Last year I finally “got it” with the help of Insight Timer.
Here’s what worked for me:
— I don’t sit cross-legged. (I have bad knees and this was just physical torture.) I don’t even sit on the floor. I do however have a physical cue that it’s time to meditate. I hold crystals like these. Since I don’t normally walk around with rocks in my hands, my body knows it’s time to be still when I pick these up.

— I started small. Three minutes to start. Even that was challenging. Now I do a minimum of 45 minutes, but my “sweet spot” is about an hour to seventy minutes.
— At first I used guided meditations, then I progressed to using the timer with “reminder” bells to keep me focused. I still use the timer, minus the reminders, because it keeps me from checking the clock.
My sleep has improved, my attention is better and I’m less stressed.
Do you meditate?

Last year with the help of the INSIGHT TIMER app, I implemented a DAILY meditation practice. (This was a big deal for me since I’d had trouble sticking with this goal in the past.)
I really love to meditate while holding these two crystals which were gifts from a good friend.
Angelite and Rose QuartzDo you meditate? Are you into crystals?

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